My Mom texted me last week and said, “Did you quit blogging?”
That’s my Mom’s code for “I keep checking your blog, there is no new content, what exactly have you been doing Lindsey? It’s time to get it together!”
It’s true, I’m wayyyy behind on blogging. I had the Holidays then Evelyn has a Birthday the first week of the New Year and you don’t realize how much there is to do until you’re in the depths of plastic and cardboard from Christmas presents, Birthday presents, a 20 kid Birthday Party and a Barbie Dream House big enough that I could vacation inside of it.
My plan was to catch-up on all things life and blogging while Evelyn was at Disney World with my parents. We of course visited the pediatrician’s office for Evelyn’s five-year check-up, as the flu is in full swing, it was like entering a war zone and hoping to not step on a bomb. Because I protested the less than 10% effective flu shot this year, the Universe of course served-up, a round of the flu for my whole house, on a nice silver platter.
Evelyn went to Disney not feeling her best, and the week I was supposed to get caught up, I got caught up on Netflix, only.
This is exactly why I wait until my Birthday {March} to make my new years resolutions. In the history of Lindsey, January has never been my most productive month. By the time I add another year to my age I am ready to evaluate the past year, while looking at the year ahead.
How it has been five years since I’ve birthed a human, literally blows my mind. But here we are five-years in and I can’t say I’ve mastered being a Mom anymore than the day I began! One thing I have mastered in life, is how to throw a fabulous party. We had a family party for Evelyn and then she invited 20 of her little friends to a party as well. Ten days later she flew off to Disney, I’m pretty sure after Hawaii and now Disney, Evelyn might be in for some disappointing Birthday’s in the coming years.
I am so fortunate to have parents who volunteered to plan the trip of a lifetime for a five-year old, I’m also grateful this is one trip I didn’t have to make! When she’s tall enough to ride the rollercoasters, Mom is all in, until then Poppy and Cici handled the Princesses and Bibbity-Boppity Boutique.
Family Party
If you count, Evelyn has something like 15 {living} Grandparents and Great Grandparents! She is so lucky to have such positive influences in her life, who smother her in love, attention and Disney trips.
We had the family down on a chilly Saturday for the celebrations.
We served a chili bar, cake, ice cream and presents and a lot of attention for the party girl.
Evelyn knew we were having the party, but she told everyone she wanted them to hide and yell surprise when she walked in. Of course everyone obliged the five-year-old, she played her role perfectly as the surprised guest of honor.
Two weeks after Christmas and more presents….
There was a life-size Elena of Avalor doll in that long box. It continually scares the crap out of me, because it looks like a real person sitting in the corner, staring into my soul.
Was anyone else traumatized by Chucky as a child?
This cake from Kroger was delicious and perfectly decorated to Evelyn’ liking: Rainbows & Unicorns!
Great Grandpa Frank
Great Grandparents, Nanoo & Bill
Great Grandma Louise & Great Grandpa Frank
Center of Attention and Loving it!
Everyone wanted to know if Evelyn absolutely freaked out when she opened her Disney trip…. She didn’t in the sense everyone wants to think. She freaked out, because the Elena of Avalor dress she was wearing was, ITCHING HER AND SHE WANTED IT OFF!!!!!!!
We Wernecke women never miss an opportunity for drama.
She may have just been in party overload, or had a Christmas hangover, but there was no squealing with glee or jumping up and down. My Mom got her a present to open everyday leading up to Disney. Ten presents total and I will say she really cared about opening that present everyday!
It’s so funny to watch what registers with five-year-old’s and what they couldn’t care less about.
Friend’s Party
The second party we planned and prepped for, was with all of her friends. I was absolutely adamant we were not doing a friend party on top of Christmas, a Family party and Disney. Like the wonderful Grandmother she is, my Mom insisted that we were absolutely having one. In the end my Mom won, as she usually does and we invited 20 friends to an afternoon at Wendy’s Gymnastics.
I’m very glad we wended up doing the party, but sending out birthday party invites while I’m simultaneously sending out Christmas cards, stresses me the F OUT!
Evelyn had an absolute blast, could not have been more proud or happier to host all her friends, and it gave me a chance to get to know a few of the other Mom’s from school I see on the regular but never speak to.
Wendy’s Gymnastics is the perfect spot to host an easy, do as little as possible party. The party was from 2-3:30 and we were cleaned up and on our way home by 3:45.
That’s my kind of kid party!
Favorite People: CiCi and Poppy.
Excited Party Girl!
I hit the Dollar General store and spent less than $40 total.
I got all Princess decorations and put together a goodie-bag of dollar store crap. We had water, juice boxes, pizza and cake. I put my foot down about everything else. No ice cream, no expensive goodie-bags no extras, nothing. The truth is five-year-olds just don’t care. As much as I wanted to go over the top on decorations and details, the only person who would have cared was me.
Wendy’s Gymnastics.
Evelyn also does weekly gymnastics lessons here, that she really enjoys. We request to be with Ms. Jill because she is simply the best and I have seen Evelyn grow and develop so much in the past two years, with the patience Ms. Jill continually shows her. She is so kind, but firm when she needs to be and I appreciate the time she has taken with Evelyn to help her learn social skills, like letting other kids go first without having a massive meltdown.
If you don’t know about Wendy’s Gymnastics, Parents Night Out, the first Friday of every month, check it out HERE. $40 for four hours, is a steal especially when they come home exhausted after hours of fun! Evelyn almost always sleeps until 9AM the Saturday after Wendy’s… I like to call that my best parenting!
I sign Evelyn up for every Friday for the year, worth every penny. {It does sometimes fill-up fast}. This will probably be the best parenting hack I ever offer.
The real hit of the party with parents and kids was the Unicorn Cupcakes!
My family and I were out to dinner at The Walrus one night when our waitress informed us she had a special dessert they were bringing out. My Mom immediately said, “OOOOOHHHH Lindsey they must know you’re a blogger!“
Nope.
One of the employees at The Walrus had brought in her cupcakes to share. They were diiiiiiiiiiiiivine, I mean beyond delicious.
We exchanged information and I learned that Liz had just recently started a cupcake business, Liz’s Creations and I told her I would love to get some for an upcoming Birthday Party, she happily agreed and I told her I’d be in touch.
That was the week of Christmas, fast forward to three days before Evelyn’s birthday party and I am in a total panic because I have not ordered, secured or even spoken to anyone about a cake or cupcakes…. #hotmessexpress
I emailed Liz, having not spoken to her since our meeting at the Walrus and she graciously agreed and assured me making two dozens cupcakes would be no problem on such short notice. I was beyond relieved that my procrastination was not going to ruin the party, I literally did not care what kind of cupcakes she made. I told her we were doing pink, purple and princess. Those were the only guidelines I gave her, she read my mind with the unicorn details, not even knowing Unicorns are Evelyn’s JAM right now!
Liz is well versed in the art of baking, she has worked in the bakery at both Anderson’s and Kroger as a cake decorator. Her favorite part of baking is creating special, custom orders and the customers face when they see her creation.
Liz’s Creations
Beside unicorn themed cupcakes, Liz can custom make almost anything your imagination can dream up! She has successfully made, delicious gluten-free cupcakes, that she swears you can’t tell any difference in the taste, which to me is true talent. A few of the other flavors she has mastered:
Summer Flavors: Margarita, Lemon Drop, Peach Bourbon.
Fall Flavors: Pumpkin Pie, Apple Butter, Oatmeal Cream Pie.
Winter Flavors: Hot Cocoa, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup, Caramel Latte, White Chocolate Peppermint.
Jumping into her 5th Year, like………..
Friends!
Thank you to everyone who celebrated our girl with us.
It really does take a village and we are so grateful for our tribe!
Stay tuned, because tomorrow I am really excited to share a new restaurant in Columbus with you, that has the most amazing patio and where I will be spending my entire Spring and Summer.
